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Saraswati Vahini workers demonstrate near Raj Bhavan in Ranchi on Saturday. Picture by Prashant Mitra
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Ranchi, Sept. 7: As many as 70 women workers of Saraswati Vahini, a group that prepares midday meals for more than 40 government schools in Piska-Nagri area, today staged a dharna in front of Raj Bhavan to protest against low pay.
They also threatened to intensify their stir and embark on an indefinite strike from Monday if their demands were not fulfilled. Today’s protest followed a para-teachers’ strike a week ago.
“We are paid only Rs 30 per day to prepare food, which takes at least six hours. Any ordinary women labourer is paid Rs 200 per day. We have pointed this out to the education department officials, but no one seems to be listening to us,” said Sunita Beck, who prepares food for 1,400 students at Rajkiya Madhya Vidyalaya.
“While teaching and non-teaching staff get their salaries even during the summer and such other vacations, Saraswati Vahini workers are denied that privilege,” complained Lalita Devi, who prepares food for more than 1,000 students at Rajkiya Kanya Madhya Vidyalaya at Hulhu village.
Around 20,000 students will be affected if the workers go on strike.
Expressing concern over the strike threat, a government teacher at Bero said: “Para-teachers and Saraswati Vahini employees make the midday meal programme successful. If they also follow the para-teachers’ path, the situation will worsen further.”
Education department officials, however, seemed clueless about any demonstration.
When informed about the protest, joint secretary of education department Srimati Mamta said: “The demand is unjustified. They are being paid according to the standard fixed by the government.”
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